New Beginning
by shadowwriter01
Summary: Luffy has become the new Pirate King and the Straw Hats had returned to the east blue. At the same time the revolution has overthrown the world government and a new time has started. Sequel to the story "Pirate King".
1. Chapter 1

**New Beginning**

**Prologue**

_Monkey D. Luffy had succeeded in becoming the new Pirate King. _

_Shortly after a last great battle between the marines forces and the Straw Hat pirates and their allies, he had found the One Piece at Raftel, the last island of the grand line. _

_At the same time however a event happened that made even the rise of the second Pirate King look unimportant, the fall of the world government._

_Ironically it were two members of the same family, father and son, who were responsible for the two most important changes in the world. _

_The revolution army, led by Monkey D. Dragon, made their final move. _

_In the last years the world government was relying more and more on their pacifista cyborgs. This however turned out to be their final mistake. _

_The prototype of the pacifista line, Bartholomew Kuma, was secretly a agent for the revolution army. With his help the revolutionaries were able to discover all the secrets of the project and so disable the pacifista army._

_Dragon was able to simply order them to shut down. Everywhere on the world the pacifista stopped working and decimated the lines of the government troops. _

_Like they had planned, the revolutionaries used this chance for their attack. In one move their troops were able to take the capital of the world government Marie Joa. _

_At the time the revolutionaries were founding a new government, Luffy had continued his way to the One Piece. Here at the end of the grand line he met his enemy Blackbeard again and fought him a last time. The One Piece itself however was destroyed during the fight._

_Vice admiral Smoker meanwhile had followed Luffy and sailed to Raftel himself._

_As he arrived he found Luffy and the others exhausted from the fight. _

_Smoker, having hunted Luffy for years, only congratulated him to his victory._

_The marines arrested Blackbeard and his crew in the name of the new world government and then returned them, together with the remains of the One Piece, back to marine headquarters._

_The Straw Hats on the other hand completed their journey around the world. _

_Shortly after Raftel they discovered a subterranean ocean that connected all seas in the world with each other, the all blue. Over this passage they came back to the east blue. _

_The Straw-Hat pirates were again at the place where their adventures had began._

xxxxxxx

_The east blue, two weeks after the discovery of the One Piece_

The Thousand Sunny was slowly sailing over the sea while the crew onboard spent their day in the usual way.

Nami had just finished her last sea charts, that now included the underground sea all blue. With that her precious world map was practically finished.

Their captain, Luffy had been lying for hours now at his usual spot on the Sunny´s lion´s head, not quite knowing what to do with his time, now that he was Pirate King.

"Boring", he complained. "Nothing to do the entire day", he complained.

"Does this really surprise you?" Nami asked him. "You are the Pirate King now. That had always been your great aim. You have reached that and what do you want to do now?"

"I don´t know", Luffy yelled.

"Have you not spend a single thought about what you would do **after** you became Pirate King?" She wanted to know.

"No, should I have?" He asked sheepishly.

Nami was fuming now.

Sanji, Chopper, Usopp, Robin and Franky were listening in to their conversation.

Zoro was, as so often, lying at the side, sleeping.

"Our great adventure is over Luffy", Robin pointed out. "We have reached the end of the grand line, what else is there left to do?"

"No, I don´t accept that it is over. We will just have to find something new. We start a new adventure."

"So you say we will find something else to do now that we have all fulfilled our dreams", Franky said with a smile.

"Of course we will", Luffy shouted.

"If you say so Luffy", Robin said. That was exactly that she had expected to hear from her captain.

"Now that we are back in the east blue, we should first make a visit to our home islands", Nami pointed out.

"I am curious how the old Jeff is doing", Sanji suggested.

"And I want to see Kaya again", Usopp said.

"Chopper, Franky, Brook and me are not from the east blue", Robin pointed out. "So we have to pass out here."

"So where do we go first?"

"I think Luffy´s home-island is the next", Nami replied, "then Zoro´s, then Usopp´s, the baratie and then kokos. What do you think Luffy?"

"Yeah, lets go back home for a while", he said quietly. "I am curious how Dadan and Makino are doing."

"Good, then it is decided. Hey Zoro, have you heard what we were saying?" She yelled at the sleeping swordsman.

"What is? Can you not leave me alone for awhile?"

"We were saying that we will visit our home-islands, yours and Luffy´s are coming next."

"And because of that you wake me up?"

"We have still something else to do", Franky reminded them. Brook has to see Laboom."

"I have waited 52 years", the skeleton replied. "This can wait another few weeks."

"The dream of one of our crew-members should come first and by the way, we had not been home for a few years now. Some of us will probably want to stay a bit longer."

"We can first go to see the whale and then we turn around to visit the islands", Luffy said.

"When we have to sail twice through the entire east blue", Nami called out.

"Why not? I am already Pirate King, so we have time now."

"Of course captain, if you say so", she answered with a smile. She just realized that Luffy was acting more like his usual self.

"Okay", Zoro said casually. "I planned to go back to my home-island anyway, I have something to do there. But that has time."

"And why had you not mentioned that before?" Nami asked him.

"I thought that was obviously that we would visit anyway when we returned to the east blue and not that I had to point it out for you?"

"What kind of a way is that to talk to a lady?" Sanji asked him angrily.

"Why does she have to ask such stupid questions?" Zoro yelled back.

Right afterwards their usual fight broke out. Luffy only laughed loud, while the rest of the crew only stood there smiling.

It seemed even if they had reached their great goal now, things were still going to be the same.

xxxxxxx

_A village in the east blue, at the same time_

The inhabitants of the small village were watching the group of armed men that had arrived a short time earlier.

To them the newcomers made a very strange impression. Some of them were wearing parts of what looked like old uniforms, but often part together with racks. Others had civilian clothes. All of them however were carrying guns and swords or knives on their belts.

The villagers were assembled in a large half circle before the soldiers and were waiting curious what would happen.

The mayor stood in front of the crowd, in opposite to the obvious leader of the armed group.

"Citizens of this town, listen to me", the leader called out.

He was a large, wild looking man with blond hair and a mustache, wearing old white marine trousers and a torn black cape.

"We are members of the revolutionary army", the man announced. "We have freed you from the tyranny of the world government.

To support our cause you have now the opportunity to show your gratitude for what we have done for you. My men are ready to receive your gifts of money, food and other items. You can hand it all over to my assistants here." He gestured to two men standing next to him.

"We are ready to receive your gifts now", he said. At his words his soldiers moved their hands to their guns. It was a obviously studied move but it´s implication was clear.

"We are revolutionaries now?" One of the guys in the background whispered to his neighbor.

"Yes, now that they have won it is really a good idea to be one of them.", the other man answered.

"We don´t need to give you anything", someone in the crowd shouted.

"I see, we still have supporters of the old regime here", the man said with a smile. "We will root this elements out very soon. I will make myself more clear.

You will hand over all the money in your town to us and as many supplies as my men can carry."

"You are not revolutionaries, you are just bandits", the mayor said.

"If you think so", the man replied. He made a gesture and his men pointed their weapons at the people.

"Now hand everything over, please."

xxxxxxx

_Marie Joa_

The once proud city in the center of the grand line was now only a burned out field of ruins.

Ironically it had been one of the tenryuubito who had started the fire. Not wanting to accept their loss, he rather wanted everything destroyed than leave it to the revolution. Of course that man had been one of the first to die in the flames.

While at the same time Dragon´s men had been storming the city, the most inhabitants had managed to make it out of the burning town alive, that meant slaves and tenryuubito.

Some of the slaves were freed by the attacking revolutionaries and in the most cases joined them, other managed to escape by themselves, freeing other on their way out.

Now squads of rebel soldiers were searching through the rubble, looking for survivors of the ones who had not made it out in time.

On a hill side close to the burned down city at their base camp, Dragon and Harss, one of his sub-commanders, were standing and overseeing the work.

"This was not what I meant when I said we would take Marie Joa", Dragon commented at the sight of the disaster.

"This is not your fault sir. You could not know that somebody would go this far. This was a pure act of spite."

But maybe he should have anticipated something like this, Dragon thought silently. He knew perfectly well what the tenryuubito were capable of.

At the other side of the area one of the search groups was finally able to

"We have someone", a soldier yelled. "They are still alive."

Under the wreckage of a destroyed building, they had found a young woman and a man lying next to her.

* * *

Regarding the review about the spelling of a few names in my story. The translation of names and places in mangas like One Piece sometimes varies in different countries.

The name of Sanji´s mentor can be written as red leg Jeff or Zeff. Both translations are valid. In germany he is usually called "Rotfuß-Jeff".

For Nami´s home-village Cocoyasi there are also various versions. The name Kokos was for example the actual translation in germany.

Another example is Zoro´s first name that is sometimes Roronoa or Lorenor.

The word Kaja however was an real mistake and I have already corrected it.

If someone of you think I should change the names I have used in my story against other versions please tell me this in a review.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

_The Grand-Line, G1 marine base, former Marine Headquarter_

After the near complete destruction of Mary Joa at the end of the last war, the former headquarter of the marines at the center of the Grand-Line had been named as temporally place of the new government.

This location had been chosen for several reasons. Some were purely practical, it was one of the best defended places in the world and political, to demonstrate that the marines were still part of the world order.

In the moment the improvised head of state Monkey D. Dragon was in a meeting with several Key figures regarding the political situation.

With him were for example the former Fleet Admiral Sengoku, who had temporally retaken his old position after the death of Sakazuki, his own father the resigned Vice Admiral Garp,

his old comrade Ivankov, king of the Okama State or maybe queen, depending on how you saw it and Nefertari Cobra and Vivi, king and princess of Alabasta and old allies of his son Luffy.

After their successful coup, that happened parallel to Luffy´s rise to Pirate King, as Dragon and the revolutionaries were trying to build up a new government, the Nefertaries were under the first who supported them.

Also present was Jimbei, who had been a Shichibukai under the old government under the old government until he rebelled to save Ace from execution and was now acting as ambassador from Fishmen Island.

Kuzan, the former Admiral Aokiji, who had recently joined their forces was currently on sea in the New World. Otherwise he would have also been here.

"The situation is serious", Sengoku told them, "not only are there still followers of the old order out there, pirates, bandits and others are trying to take advantage of the temporal lack of security.

And it comes even worse. I got reports about a group claiming to be revolutionaries, attacking and pillaging entire villages in the east blue."

"And Sengoku? It is not as if all that is coming as an surprise", Garp commented. "It was clear from the beginning that people like them would come out now that they see the chance, just like the last time.

I don´t know how we could ever be so naive to think taking out Whitebeard would achieve something good. Many people had been warning us but did we listen, no."

"Are you finished Garp?" Sengoku was now yelling at him. "We have current problems to think about instead of debating about the mistakes of the past." Just like in the old days this man had an colossal talent to get on his nerves.

"Under the old world government such things happened on a daily basis. For half of it they were responsible themselves. They were just really good at controlling the media so that the people would never hear about most of it", Jimbei remarked sarcastically. "I hope you remember who had one of the greatest roles in selling lies?"

"Okay", Sengoku replied, now struggling to control himself, "if you two have enough of throwing mud at me, could we continue?"

"Yes", Dragon´s voice was now to hear, "I think we should not start fighting under ourselves. We have enough enemies after all.

Sengoku had joined us before the fall of the world government and he had played an essential role in bringing parts of the marines to our side. Don´t forget that."

His words ended the dispute for the moment.

"Regarding what you said Jimbei, I won´t start controlling the press like **they** did it. We led this revolution to free the world of an corrupt and tyrannical government. This would be the first step to undo this.

I am also not trying to grab power for myself. Elections will happen at the latest point in six months. The Gorosai will be reinstated. But from now on their position will for limited time and depending on the vote."

"What about the board of kings?" Cobra wanted to know.

"The rule of individual countries is a choice of their own. As long as the people of Alabasta are standing behind your family we will support you and treat you as official representative of your state.

Others rulers, who had only been in their positions because of the World Government backing them up however, will be removed, if possible with the help of their own subjects. Especially excesses like in Shabondy or the Goa Kingdom won´t longer be tolerated."

"Goa, I have heard about this", Cobra´s daughter Vivi said. "Isn´t that a kingdom where the rulers had forced half the country to life in a giant dump?"

"You are right, but you don´t know all of it. Years ago, as a tenryuubito came to visit the country, the nobility decided they were ashamed about the state their people lived in.

They hired a group of pirates to lay a fire. The flames spread over a great part of the land, it was a inferno. They later blamed everything on the pirate crew."

Vivi was listening to his tale in horror.

"All that only because a single world noble came to the country."

"While we are talking about fire Dragon", Iva reminded them, "some people are still thinking we are responsible for the burning of Mary Joa despite all the information we gave the press."

Garp was laughing out loud.

"The people are so used to the fact that the government is lying", he said, "that they don´t even consider that you might tell them the truth."

"You are not exactly a help here father", Dragon told him.

"Oh, sorry sorry", he replied, "don´t let an old man disturb you."

"We will make another press release. Many of the surviving slaves that were freed can confirm that it was not us who had caused the fire."

"A good idea". Sengoku commented.

"About this band of pillagers. I have already taken steps about this. We have sent one of our best men to deal with the situation."

"Only one man?" Cobra said in doubt.

"He will be more than enough for this mission. Remember, Luffy is also only one man."

"Luffy, have you heard of him?" Vivi asked him.

"Not since Vice Admiral Smoker had reported that he had found One Piece and taken down Blackbeard.

Don´t worry, you know him. I am sure my son is alright."

xxxxxxx

_Kokos Village, Nami´s home town_

It was now over three years ago that this island had been freed of the pirate Arlong´s reign of terror. For this time the citizens had been fending for themselves and did not bad, in their opinion.

With the exception of their self proclaimed "defenders", Johnny and Yosaku, the old friends of Lorenor Zoro, they had not actual outside help for that time and they were not really unhappy about it.

Since it became clear that the local marines had been secretly collaborating with Arlong, they came to distrust the most authorities.

But now a new group of soldiers had arrived in the town. They said the were members of the revolutionary army with the task to hold up the peace.

It turned out quickly that something was wrong. This group that was supposedly meant to protect them was now demanding to hand all their supplies and valuable objects over to them.

The leader of the soldiers, a man calling himself "Commander Shramm", was now speaking in front of the assembled villagers and giving them his demands.

"We won´t give you anything", Genzo the scarred faced constable of the town shouted at them. "We have worked hard for this things and won´t just hand them over to you."

Behind him approving sounds were to hear from the crowd.

Johnny and Yosaku walked in front of them.

"You want to take what belongs to this people? When you have to go through us first", Yosaku announced.

But he and his partner instantly had a dozen guns pointed at them and went a step backwards.

The leader of the soldiers only smiled. It seemed that their two heroes were not so tough after all.

"What is this?" he said loud. "Do you have no respect for the force that has freed you from the tyrannical World Government?" Commander Shramm asked them

"**You** have done nothing for us", Nami´s sister Nojiko yelled at them. "Are you even part of the revolutionaries? You have never shown us a single proof."

"I see, so we are dealing with a village full of traitors after all. You leave me no choice."

Behind him his men were starting to lift their rifles, knowing exactly how things would continue from here.

"Respect is something that has to be earned." Another voice was to hear.

As the soldiers turned around they saw a young man standing behind them. He was wearing a long, dark brown colored coat, had short black hair and a sword hanging at his side.

"Who are you?" Shramm wanted to know.

"I am a member of the Revolutionary Army", the man answered, "in opposite to you a real member and not just a marauder like you who is hiding behind our flag. You can call me Hood."

"You are what?" He called out, now in obvious shock.

"You will stand down, you will leave this people alone and you will follow me quietly to the next marine base. That is your first and only chance."

"And why should I follow orders from a **single** whelp like you?" the `Commander´ said more confidently now, having fully realized that the young man before him was indeed alone.

"Kill him", he ordered.

"You had your chance", Hood answered.

In the next moment he had vanished.

"Where is he?" Shramm yelled.

"Look out, he is behind you", a few of the men yelled as the stranger suddenly reappeared behind two of their comrades and his blade cut them down.

Another man who was standing close by was drawing his gun, but before he could fire he was hit by an haki augmented punch that was so hard that he was thrown through the air into a second soldier who was knocked out as well.

"I said you should kill him", Shramm was now screaming.

Three other of his soldiers were now aiming their weapons at their opponent, but in the moment they fired he vanished again and in his place one of their own men appeared and was hit by the bullets.

The trio froze in shock as they saw that they had just shot one of their own only to be struck down in the same moment.

At this point the false commander was only starring terrified at the massacre before him. The stranger was dis- and reappearing between his men and took them out one after the other, until the last who were left were fleeing in panic.

"That, that is impossible, nobody can be so strong", he stammered.

"You clearly don´t come around much", the other man commented before he gave him a punch that send him flying against the next tree and he sank down unconscious.

The assembled town citizens were now starring at the revolutionary in both awe and fear.

"Thank you", a purple haired woman finally said.

"You can tell the others that I have no intention to hurt them", he told her. "Do you have any place to hold them until the marines arrive to transport them away?" He gestured to the unconscious band of soldiers who were actually only bandits.

"I am sure we will find something", Genzo replied.

"You are the sister of one of the crew-members of the Strawhats, right?"

"Yes, Nami is my sister."

He nodded, thinking that was the case.

"As you have probably heard, the Strawhats have found the One Piece. That means they will probably return to the East Blue very soon."

"So the story is true, Luffy is Pirate King?"

"Yes", he confirmed.

This people had obviously already heard it from the newspapers, he thought. But after reading for years news that had obviously been manufactured, it didn´t surprise him that they didn´t just believed anything they heard.

"Do you want to stay in our village for some time, as a guest?" Genzo invited him.

"Thank you", he said, "I gladly accept, at least until this pillagers are transported away.

I also admit, I am looking out for a chance to meet the Strawhat crew." He put a light smile on his face.

xxxxxxx

At the same time the Thousand Sunny was on it´s way to the end of the East Blue to meet a certain whale.

While most of the crew was just somehow spending their time on deck, one of their members, Nami, was busy fulfilling her own personal dream.

She had wanted to write the most accurate and complete world map and now she had it nearly completed.

Only the last piece was left, the location of the All Blue. The legendary sea was for a long time thought to be only a legend, until they had discovered it shortly after finding the One Piece.

All Blue, as it turned out, was the opposite of Reverse Mountain at the other side of the Red Line.

Like on Reverse Mountain, water was flowing from all four blues into the Grand Line, water was here at the end of the New World going into the underground, assembling into an subterranean sea and from there back into the blues.

So the circle was surrounding the world and connecting all oceans. And her map would be the first to show this.

Now it was finished.

Once they had sworn themselves to fulfill their dreams. They had nearly succeeded. Only one thing was left, Laboom.

"Nami, we have an island in front of us." She heard Luffy´s voice screaming over the ship.

* * *

I had not updated this story for some time now. Recently a reader contacted me and asked me to continue already. So I have hurried up and finale released the second chapter.

Side-note: The name Hood of the revolutionary fighter is of course a reference to Robin Hood.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

On his island, that was located at the border of the East Blue to the Grand Line, the old overseer Crocus was so far spending one of his usual days.

The whale Laboom was in a good mood and was spending his time swimming around in a close distance.

At first it was a usual day for this two. It happened quite often that ships were crossing the island, coming through on their way from the Blues to the Grand Line.

So Crocus wasn´t surprised as he saw the arrival of this ship either, until he saw the flag on the sail. And he heard the voice calling.

"Hey Crocus."

For a moment the old man was starring at the sight before him. It wasn´t the same ship as the last time, the symbol with the straw hat was unmistakable.

If he was honest, he often had doubts that he would ever see this pirates again, that they would just like the Rumbar Pirates, get lost somewhere on the sea and never come back.

But on the other side he knew that he should not really be surprised to see them back here.

"You", he said.

"Yes old man, we are back, we made it", Luffy was yelling from the bow.

"Congratulations Straw Hat", Crocus shouted as the Thousand Sunny had come closer.

"Thanks", he answered loudly.

"Laboom will be happy to see you all", he told them.

"Well", Nami said, grinning, "about Laboom, I think there is another one he would like to see."

For the first time Crocus noticed the figure that was standing in the background behind the other members of the crew.

"Ho ho, hello old friend, you don´t know how happy I an to see you again", the man greeted him.

As he realized who or rather what was standing before him Crocus turned white as a sheet and he felt like his jaw dropped nearly to the ground.

Before him was a moving and talking skeleton, a skeleton that was wearing a suit and a top hat.

But still there was something about this being that reminded him of something.

"B…Brooke?" he asked as it suddenly hit him.

"Yes", the skeleton replied.

"But how?"

"My devil fruit", the other replied. "I died out there on sea together with the others", he said in a sad voice, "but as you see thanks to it I am still here, ho ho." He was laughing now, his mood seemingly having turned by 180 degree in just a moment.

Crocus only managed to nod silently as he heard this explanation.

"But how did you came to the Strawhat crew?" he asked finally.

"The have found me on our empty ship after everyone else had died. 50 years I have spent there alone."

"I am sorry."

"You say it, it was terrible, but now I am finally back."

From the distance the giant whale was quickly coming closer. Like the old caretaker he had seem the appearance of the ship.

As he had come closer he realized happily that it were in fact his friends the Strawhats who had returned.

"Laboom", Brook was yelling his name as he saw the whale had come near enough.

"Hey Laboom", Luffy was also shouting.

The giant whale was for a few long moments starring at the first figure who had called out his name. Laboom wasn´t human. Through this and due to his giant size, he had sometimes problems to tell individual ones apart.

But there was something about this figure that he recognized instantly. He didn´t look the same, in fact he looked terrifying.

Like Crocus a few moments before, he realized that it was a living skeleton that was calling to him.

For a moment the giant colossus was frozen in both shock and joy. He couldn´t believe is.

"Hey Laboom, do you recognize me?" the being shouted. "It is me, Brook. I am back, I am truly back."

After he had been separated from his herd in his childhood, the Rumbar pirates had become his closest and only friends.

From all of them, Brook had been the one closest to him. As they had not returned, he had spend decades missing them and yearning to see them again. For a long time he was actually ramming his head into the rock wall of the red line in his pain.

It wasn´t until he had met the Strawhats and they became his new friends that he finally stopped.

And now were not only they back but also one of the pirates he thought by now he would never see again.

As it began to fully sink in who was standing before him, he let out a loud sound of pure joy.

"I am also happy to see you again", Brook replied laughing.

"And, how have you two been in the last years old man?" Sanji asked them.

"Quite well, except that we have been asking ourselves when and if you would return. We have heard much about what you have been doing too."

"I can imagine", Nami said.

"Yes, the people have been talking a lot of what we have been doing", Zoro pointed out."

"Even if a lot of what you have heart is probably not true", Nami pointed out.

"By the way", a dark haired woman said, "We have not met before. I am Robin."

"I am Franky", a large man whose body consisted partly of machine parts told him.

And so the crew members they didn´t know yet began to introduce themselves.

"Let me guess", Nami asked Luffy, "that means we are going to throw a party?"

"You say it", he answered with a smile.

xxxxxxx

_Kokus village_

The mysterious resistance fighter who had saved the town was currently sitting on a table in the local tavern. Next to him were Nojiko and Genzo who had been asking him questions for the last hours.

"So tell me Hood", Nojiko asked him, "you said that you expect to meet Luffy here. Why do you want to see him?"

"As I have told you, I was send by the New World Government to take care of this band of pillagers that operated under our flag.

And regarding Strawhat, you have heard that recently he became the Pirate King and we have gotten reports that his crew had been seen in the East Blue once again."

He stopped talking for a moment as he continued to eat.

"Since one of his crew-mates is your sister it is save to say that he will come here soon, when exactly I can not say. I will just wait for him.

By the way, a good friend of Strawhat will arrive with the Marine ship that will come to take the prisoners."

"As a friend of Luffy he will of course be welcome", Genzo told him.

"Really? We will see."

"Is there something about this `friend´?" Nojiko wanted to know.

"Let us say, you will probably get the surprise of your life when you see him." The man had a light smile on his face.

xxxxxxx

At the border to the Grand Line the Strawhats had at the same time spent the day with Crocus and Laboom.

A great part of the time Brook and Luffy had been telling the whale stories about their adventures on the seas.

"…and that was how we have met Brook and how he had joined my crew." Luffy had just finished the tale about their fight with Gecko Moria´s Zombie army.

"And", Crocus asked them, "how long do you plan to stay?"

"We will see", Luffy replied.

"Now that Brook and Laboom had been reunited we have reached all our aims", Nami told him. "We plan to stay in the East Blue and visit our home islands for the next time. We are in no real hurry right now."

"And then we will return to the Grand Line, visiting Vivi, Iceburg and the others we met there", Luffy told him. "I have told all of them that we would see them again and I keep my word."

xxxxxxx

Hundreds of miles away a Marine ship was steadily holding it´s course to the East Blue.

On the deck next to the captain stood their special passenger who was on the way to his meeting with the Pirate King, the former Shichibukai and now ally of the New World Government Jimbei.

There was also another duty he had to fulfill, one that he was not looking out to, visiting the villages that had been terrorized by his former crew-mate Arlong for eight years and trying to make amends.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Over two weeks had passed since the reunion between the Strawhats and the whale Laboom.

In that time they had spend several days on Crocus island. And when they finally decided to continue their journey through the East Blue, they made the promise to make another visit at the time they would travel a second time to the Grand Line.

Two ships were now on their way to the same destination, one a Marine ship, the other the Thousand Sunny.

xxxxxxx

_Loquetown, East Blue_

It was three years ago that both, the Strawhats and the crew of Captain, now Vice Admiral Smoker had departed from this island to the Grand Line, back then at the start of both their adventures.

Now the town was the anchorage of the Marine vessel that transported Jimbei.

"Do we know if Luffy had already been here?" he asked the Commodore in charge of the ship.

"No, the garrison informed us that the Strawhats had not been on this island yet. We can wait for them if you want", he offered.

"That would be pointless", Jimbei claimed. "We don´t know what route they are using and we don´t know when they will cross this island. Let us continue our sailing."

"If you think so", the man replied.

"I am not exactly looking out to meet this people as you can imagine", the fishman admitted. "But I know that I just have to do it sooner or later.

Jimbei the Shichibukai had released a monster to the East Blue. Did you know that the people are saying something like that about me? Some think I have sent Arlong to this sea on purpose."

"There are rumors."

"Yes, rumors", Jimbei repeated with some bitterness. "I have to talk to this people, not only for them but also for myself."

Behind them the soldiers were just making the ship ready for the last part of their travel.

"Commodore."

"Yes?"

"Let us go", he said.

xxxxxxx

At the same time the Strawhats were on sea, only two days behind them. Neither of them knew that they missed each other only so closely.

Luffy was once again lying on the Sunny´s lions-head, Zoro was training, while Nami was overseeing the course and the rest of the crew was spending their day in the usual way.

What they had not realized yet, in a close distance to them another ship had been coming up.

Like the Thousand Sunny it was a pirate ship, unlike the Sunny it´s Captain wasn´t anybody special.

On board of the other vessel, the crew was just preparing for their next raid or more likely what they thought would be their next raid.

They had just made out the smaller ship a minute ago and were eager for a possible target. What they didn´t know was which crew they were about to attack.

"Are you ready men?" Captain Giere yelled to his crew.

The men answered him with an enthusiastic shout.

xxx

On board of the Sunny things were still going their normal way.

After a short time they were noticing the oncoming ship.

"Ney, Nami, Luffy", Usopp called out.

"Yes?" Both of them asked him nearly simultaneous.

"There is a ship coming in", he told them quite casually. "As I see it, it are pirates."

"So no reason to worry about", Zoro said.

"Have they reached us yet?" Luffy asked him.

"No, but they are coming closer."

"Well, we will see how this will work out", Sanji claimed.

xxx

On the other pirate ship the crew was now ready for their assault. Twenty heavily armed men assembled on deck, waiting in anticipation to rip their victims apart.

"Men", Captain Giere said loud, "today we will add

Finally they were close enough that the men with the looking glass was able to make out the mark painted on the sails of their opponent.

In the next moment he turned white like a sheet.

"Captain", the man screamed, "this ship."

"Jeah, what?"

"That are the Strawhat pirates."

Giere´s appearance was now matching that of his subordinate, terrified in shock.

"The, the ship of the Pirate King", he stammered.

"Yes."

"Set the white flag, turn the ship around", the Captain shouted.

xxx

"How is it going?" Sanji asked.

"The ship is changing course", Usopp replied. "I see a white flag on the mast."

"They have obviously recognized us", Zoro commented.

"It seems so", Nami said.

"Okay, wake me up if something is happening", Luffy told them and laid himself down on his place at the ship´s figurehead once again.

xxxxxxx

_Somewhere on the Grand Line_

Hundreds of miles away, on one of the many islands of the Grand Line, a young woman was on the run, like she had been for the last month. Since the day her home had been destroyed.

She had been fleeing from both, soldiers and criminals alike. It was four weeks ago that she had lost everything. Since then she had constantly been running.

All this time she had used her money, the bit of it that she was able to carry with her, to buy transport on a few trade ships, all that to get away as far as possible from the world capital.

She was one of the many victims of the last war.

xxxxxxx

_Kokos village_

The last weeks in Nami´s home village had passed without further incidents.

Their captured pillagers had been not longer a threat with Hood guarding them.

Nothing out of the ordinary had happened until the day one of the villagers had been come running in panic into the town.

"Genzo", the man shouted.

"Hey Ben", the policeman asked him, "what has happened? Why are you so scared?"

"It, it is a fishman", he yelled.

"A fishman, are you sure?" Nojiko, who had been standing close by, asked. "How should he have come here after three years?"

"I don´t know but it was one, I swear it."

The people around them, having overheard the exchange, were beginning to show visible fear.

"They are back", someone screamed.

The shout seemed to have broken a wall and the crowd began to fall into panic.

"Wait, wait", Genzo called out, "even if this is a fishman, there is no proof that he is a threat or a member of Arlong´s crew."

This didn´t do much to call them down. The only fishmen they have ever met were pirates and followers of Arlong, for them all of them were a threat.

"Hood, if this fishman, if it is one, is dangerous, can you protect us from him", he asked the revolutionary soldier who had now appeared on the plaza after hearing the shouting.

"Of course", the fighter replied with a smile, "**if** he is a threat I will deal with him." He started to laugh quietly but nobody really paid attention to it.

They all were staring in another direction.

Close to the border of the village they saw the fishman, walking in their direction. To everyone´s surprise he was accompanied by an squad of marines.

That however didn´t made them feel any safer. It wouldn´t have been the first time that they had seen marines collaborating with fishmen pirates.

Hood stepped now in front of the crowd, going to greet the newcomers.

"Welcome fishman", he said. "You are here in Kokos village as you probably know."

"I know, I guess you are the revolutionary fighter that I was meant to meet."

"I am."

Around them everyone was looking at the two in bewilderment as Hood broke out into laughter.

"People of Kokos", Hood said, "this is the guest I have been talking about. May I introduce, Jimbei, a close ally of the New World Government and of the Strawhat pirates."

At his proclamation, many of the villagers broke out into loud discussions.

"You knew about this", Nojiko accused him.

"Of course."

"Why in the world have you not told us earlier."

"I didn´t want to spoil the surprise", he replied.

"Idiot", she said.

"You are Jimbei", Genzo addressed him, "the Shichibukai?"

"It was said that you were once in the same crew as Arlong."

"Indeed and I am here to apologize for what my former crew-mate had done and to offer my help if you had any need for it."

All the people around were staring at him now in open surprise.

"I remember you", Nojiko said. "You had been in the newspapers together with Luffy."

"Yes and that is another reason I am here, I believe that he will arrive on this island in a short time."

"Nami is returning?" Genzo asked.

"We know that the Strawhats are back in the East Blue", the leader of the marines told them. "That means they will visit this island sooner or later."

"Do you here that, the Strawhats will be back." A few of the people were talking with each other.

Like they had a few minutes ago nearly gotten into panic, they now broke out in spontaneous applause.

"In that case, in the name of this town, I welcome you all on Kokos island", Genzo informed them.

"Thank you", Jimbei replied.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

_Kokos island_

The people of Kokos were slowly coming to terms with the idea of having a fishman under them.

What nobody was aware of however, was that shortly after Jimbei´s crew another group of strangers had arrived on the island.

It were four figures, all of them clad in dark cloaks and wearing masks.

"We have arrived on the island", one of them was talking into a den den mushi.

"Good, has the target already arrived." A voice replied him from the communication device.

"Yes, he is here and made contact with the locals."

"Continue as planned", the voice told them.

"As you wish."

xxxxxxx

Inside the town Jimbei, Nojiko, Genzo, Hood and to some people´s surprise, Johhny and Yosaku were sitting together in the tavern and were involved in a conversation.

"So you didn´t send Arlong to the East Blue?" Johnny asked their newest guest.

"I didn´t stop him. But maybe there isn´t any difference.

Arlong had been part of my crew at that time. He had only been free through the deal that had made me a Shichibukai.

I had the chance to stop him but I couldn´t bring myself to do it."

"He was your crew-mate?" Nojiko asked him.

"Yes."

"And your friend?"

"Yes", Jimbei confirmed.

"You said that he put you before the choice, either to kill him or let him walk away. Given the circumstances I don´t see what you could have done any differently."

"That is quite simple. I could **have** killed him. It was my fault after all that he was free in the first place."

"No you couldn´t. As you said, he was a member of your crew."

"Instead I let others suffer", the fishman replied.

"You should know, mine and Nami´s mother was the first person Arlong had murdered in our village. She was a former marine. Believe me, she of all people would have understood why you couldn´t do it."

"Thank you for saying that, but others would probably disagree."

"Maybe."

Their conversation was interrupted by one of the marines running in.

"Sir", he shouted to Jimbei, "we are under attack."

"What?"

As the group had run out of the building, they saw what was going on.

On the street were lying the bodies of a half dozen dead marine soldiers, town citizens were fleeing for their lives and in the center of all of it were standing four mysterious figures.

The strangers were wearing long black cloaks and feature-less masks in different colors.

"Who are you?" Genzo asked them. "What do you want here?"

One of the man who was standing in the center of the group and was obviously the leader answered.

"Jimbei, it is you that we want", told addressed the Shichibukai.

This caused an reaction in the fishman.

"Me? You are attacking this town because you want me?"

"Yes and we will kill everything that stands in our way", the man announced.

Jimbei understood the situation.

"Genzo", he said, "send the people away from here."

The policeman gave him a nod.

"Okay", he replied.

While the towns-people were running in all directions, Jimbei and Hood, backed up by the marines staid behind and prepared to fight their enemies.

"Should we just let them walk away?" one of them asked.

"We have what we want", their leader answered. "Get them."

A few moments later the two groups began to clash with each other.

As they quickly realized, the four strangers were experts in haki and armed combat. Two of them was also a devil fruit users.

The battle draw quickly in the favor of the four masked attackers.

While Jimbei and Hood were easily strong enough to fight them off at even odds, it was still 4 against two. The marine crew was so much weaker than the other combatants that they barely made a difference.

They fought with all that they had. But over short or long, they were loosing.

Jimbei was dueling the leader of the group who had a strange ability. Not only was he able to shoot what seemed to be beams of energy from his hands, his body itself was disintegrating and reappearing at different places during the fight. It was a dangerous power that even the shichibukai could only difficulty counter and barely predict.

Hood´s opponent on the other side was a zoan-user who had turned into a two legged black panther. The zoan was cutting down two marine soldiers before the revolutionary fighter held him off.

But the attacker was quickly supported by one of his partners and they drove their opponent backwards until two soldiers came to his help.

Meanwhile the commander of the marine crew was fighting the last of the four with the help of his two best men. They had however no real chance and were losing more and more ground.

A few moments later Hood fell down under the combined attacks of the two enemies, but a few marines came to his help before one of them could deal the killing blow.

The marine soldiers were slowly loosing their hold and were being pushed aside. Many of them were wounded at this point. Their commodore was bruised, bleeding and could barely stand.

The attackers however were not even paying much attention to them anymore.

Jimbei was now facing three enemies alone.

"You want me, then fight. Leave the others alone", the fishman told them.

He had seen that the most of his allies were down and could not longer defend themselves. It was suicide what he was doing, but in this way they would maybe spare the soldiers lives.

"Leave them", their leader said. "He is the reason we came for."

The Shichibukai went into a fighting stance while he knew his situation was hopeless.

All three opponents were charging him at the same time.

It was the end.

Suddenly a fist came flying through the air and his one of the attackers who was thrown several meters back and crashed into the wall of a house.

It was a ability that he would recognize everywhere and that only had one person, Luffy.

"Hey Jimbei, long time not seen, how are you?" the newly named Pirate King said with a smile.

In the next moment Lorenor Zoro attacked and cut one of their enemies down.

"As I see you have your hands full", he commented.

"And we are glad to help", Sanji pointed out.

The situation had suddenly turned completely around. A few seconds ago it was four fighters against one Shichibukai and a dozen wounded and exhausted soldiers, now it was three and a wounded man against Jimbei and the strongest pirate crew in the world.

"Retreat", the leader shouted. "We return another time."

"Boss, I can not move", the man who had been stroke by Zoro yelled.

"Too bad", he answered.

Without a warning and before anybody, even a haki user, could react, he fired a energy beam at his subordinate.

The shot ripped through the now helpless man´s body and left a large gaping hole in his chest. His face showed a last moment of complete betrayal before he sank down, dead.

For a few moments, everybody was looking at what had just happened in shock.

"Hey, how could you do that to your comrade?" Luffy screamed at him in pure anger.

Without an answer the man seemed to be disappearing before their eyes and was suddenly gone.

The two others had already fled on foot in the seconds of distraction.

"Jimbei", Nami asked him now, "who were this guys?"

"I don´t know", he said, "but they were after me.

By the way, it is good to see you again."

"Yes, we see that the same way", she replied.

"Nami", they heard somebody shout. It was Nojiko. Hearing that the fight was over, the villagers were beginning to come back.

xxxxxxx

A short time later, many miles away, the now merely three masked fighters had regrouped.

Their leader was once again speaking into his den den mushi.

"I am sorry Shadow", he said. "We were not able to fulfill our mission. The Strawhats had arrived earlier than anticipated."

"The Strawhats? You should have done it before they had even reached the island", the voice answered.

"I know, we have acted too late."

"Yes, too late. The assassination of Jimbei was a valuable part of our plan. He is one of the most important connections between the fishmen and the human society.

His loss would have served our cause a great deal. And now, thanks to your incompetence, that chance is lost."

"We could try again", he offered.

"Not with the Strawhats around him, you would have no chance."

"I understand."

"Return to our base in East Blue territory. I will give you new instructions. But another mistake like that and you will pay for it with your own head."

"As you wish Shadow", he replied.

* * *

This chapter finally introduced a group of real opponents. The masked fighters and their boss.

**Devil fruit users:**

I have in the last chapters a few characters with devil fruit powers without closer explanation.

Here is a description about this powers.

The revolutionary Hood has eaten a "mirror-fruit". He is able to instantly switch places with anybody as far as they had eye contact, even over great distances. He is also able to transfer only parts of his body, like a broken mirror and let them appear where ever it is useful for him.

The leader of the masked assassins has a "atomic" power. He is able to dis- and reintegrate the molecules of his body at will and can shoot energy beams from his hands. It is a logia power while Hood´s is a paramedica.

One of his subordinates had a zoan-form of a black panther.


	6. Chapter 6: Return to the Grand Line

**Chapter 6**

After the end of the fight came the reunion between Nami and her sister.

Nojiko had literally dragged her into a embrace as she had seen her. Genzo and a few others greeted her in a similar enthusiastic but less familiar manner.

XXX

That was two months ago.

The Strawhats spend a week at Kokos. Afterwards they continued to travel through the East Blue.

First they visited the Baratie and Sanji exchanged stories with Jeff and told his colleagues about the All Blue. Of course a fight broke out between them very quickly.

Next they came to Usopp´s home island and paid a visit to his childhood friend Kaya, who was by now studying on a promising medical exam and her butler Merry. He had actually decided to stay with her for the time being until the Sunny would cross the island again when they would finally sail back to the Grand Line.

The Strawhats also told them about the final fate of the Going Merry, their first ship that had originally belonged to Kaya and had sunk over two years ago.

Their next stop was Zoro´s home-island and finally Luffy´s.

While Zoro spend his time in first line talking with his old sword-master or seeing Kuina´s grave, Luffy, after beginning at the first day with the typical Strawhat style celebration, paid visits to Dadan and Makino or just sat in her tavern, drinking and eating and talking to people from his town.

Finally after two months they had seen all their places and were ready for their return to the Grand Line.

On their course back of course they had first to pass the entire East Blue once again. Here they picked up Usopp who had in this way spend several weeks at home.

As he reentered the ship, it was obviously to his crew-mates that his relationship with the girl he had staid by had developed in their absence and he promised her to return sooner this time.

The now reunited crew then continued on their last stages in their home-sea. On their way they said their goodbyes to Nojiko, Crocus and Laboom, before they for the second time in their lives entered the Grand Line.

xxxxxxx

_The Grand Line, former Marine HQ_

Dragon the current head of state was in a conversation with Jimbei who had just returned from the East Blue and the temporal Marine Fleet Admiral Sengoku.

"So that is it what he has told you", he said as he heard the last part of the fishman´s report.

While the Marine had a grim expression, Dragon just started to laugh.

"I don´t see what is so funny?" Sengoku remarked.

"Yes, I am sorry that he had refused your offer", Jimbei told them.

"Don´t be", Dragon replied. "That is just my son. To be honest I don´t have expected anything else from him. And by the way, who said he had refused?"

"What do you mean? He had not agreed to become a Shichibukai", Jimbei said perplexed.

He himself had returned to his old position under the new rule, after originally loosing it for supporting Ace and Whitebeard, to nearly the same condition as under the old one. Once again he was one of the seven, right now only four, warlords and a living symbol for the unity between fishmen and humans.

"No, but don´t you think that he isn´t already doing the job in the spirit anyway?" Dragon asked them.

"Luffy and his crew had done much about rampaging pirates and other threats in the last years", Sengoku admitted, "but they are not doing this in the name of any government and they are not necessary acting in your interest", he reminded him.

"When had a Shichibukai ever done that? Had it been any different with the old ones under the last government? I rather have whatever minor trouble Luffy might cause than a warlord like Crocodile or Blackbeard."

"You have a point here", Sengoku claimed.

Jimbei remembered his last meeting with the Strawhats. It was right after the group of assassins that had been after him retreated.

Luffy had been laughing in nearly the same manner as his father did right now.

XXX

_"Forget it", he told him._

_"Luffy, things are quite different under the new government than under the old one. The Shichibukai are not longer just lapdogs who are doing their dirty work."_

_"That may be, but you oversee one thing."_

_"And what is that?"_

_"I don´t sign any contracts and I don´t work with any government, I am the Pirate King." Luffy grinned._

_"We are pirates, we are serving no one", Zoro pointed out.  
_

_"Yes, we are free and do whatever we want", Sanji said._

_"I understand. If that is truly your opinion than I will give your father your answer."_

_"But if Dad needs any help, tell him he can just ask", Luffy replied. _

_The grin deepened even more._

_After this conversation Jimbei and the Strawhats were spending another week together in Kokos village until he and his Marine crew had to return, a short time before Luffy and his crew would also continue their journey to their other visits in the East Blue._

XXX

Yes, Jimbei had to admit, the reaction had been typical for Luffy. But if something truly serious should happen, he knew that they could count on him.

"There is also something else", Dragon interrupted his thoughts. "This assassins, tell me more about them."

"They were wearing black cloaks and masks, all of them excellent fighters, experienced haki users and two of them had devil-fruit powers."

"So it were real professionals", the Fleet Admiral commented.

Yes, that fits exactly into the picture", Dragon pointed out.

"You think it were them?" Sengoku asked him.

"So far we had two assassinations of important local politicians, three terrorist attacks on civilian installations and one assault on a Marine outpost by disguised attackers similar to this ones.

Yes, I indeed think it are them."

* * *

I wanted to thank everyone who has posted this story on their favorite list.

At this point is the end of the East Blue arc and the story will continue on the Grand Line.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7  
**

_Karoling, Kingdom in the West Blue, two months earlier  
_

That was going on in the town-hall of the capital city of the kingdom seemed on the first look to be a normal day. Citizens were coming by for their individual business and the clerks were doing their daily work.

For the entire morning nothing unusual happened in the town,

until **it** happened.

The building was exploding in a ball of fire. Walls were crumbling, the air was filled with smoke and people were fleeing in panic.

From one moment to the other the now devastated place was filled with dozens of dead and injured.

It was one of the worst terror assaults this country had seen in decades, even during the great pirate-age.

xxx

In a great enough distance from the destruction, close to the borders of the town, two figures were standing. Both were wearing dark cloaks and had their faces hidden behind masks.

"The operation went exactly as planned", one of them said.

"I know", the other replied, "let us return to the base and make our report."

xxxxxxx

_New Marine headquarter in the New World_

A few days after the conversation between Dragon and Jimbei, a conference between a number of high ranking Marines took place to discuss the current state of the world and the development in the level of piracy and criminality since the fall of the World Government.

While the Pirate King Monkey D. Luffy had refused the offer for a contract as a Shichibukai, he was in some circles still handled as something of an unofficial member of this group.

Jimbei, Mihawk, Boa Hancock and Trafalgar Law had either kept or retaken their old positions after Dragon´s take-over, however under completely new conditions.

Unlike under the old government, their rights to pillage and attack people had been drastically reduced, actually to a level where they could barely be considered "pirates" at least in the sense of "morganeers" (a traditional term for sea-robbers, pillagers and murderers on sea) anymore. Despite this they had all accepted the new terms for their own reasons.

Jimbei had originally been a soldier in the fishman island´s royal guard and not a pirate. He only became one in the first place out of loyalty for his old friend Fisher Tiger. A Shichibukai he became for a chance to secure the peace between humans and fishmen.

Mihawk, being more sword-man than pirate didn´t was never much interested in this particular side of piracy and had no problem to accept the new version of the contract, as long as the government didn´t try to dictate his actions otherwise.

Boa Hancock was out of her devotion for Luffy unwilling to act against his father and since the Tenryuubito who she hated so much had been removed from power by him, she saw no reason not to play along, at least for now.

Law finally had agreed out of his completely own reasons that nobody besides him was really aware of.

There was a line of themes that were being discussed, the activities of known pirates and criminals, the reformation of the Marine forces and different local political crisis, one however was the most prominent right now.

"Do we know anything about this organization?" Admiral Aokiji, who would soon be taking over the position as Fleet Admiral, asked.

"In the last months there had been a line of assaults at the two halves of the Grand Line and one in the East Blue", a officer named Rear Admiral Spulk reported. "One of the latest incidents was the attack on Karoling Kingdom, another the assassination attempt on Jimbei."

"All in all we know practically nothing about this organization", Vice Admiral Smoker said, "not their motives or what their aims are or the locations of their bases. All what we know is that they are spreading chaos and destruction and what their methods are, terror assaults and assassinations."

"The fall of the old government was a liberation for countless people world-wide", Aokiji reminded them, "but it still means a time of political instability and it is possible that someone is trying to take advantage of that."

"Another problem that we have is the emerging of a number of new pirates", one of the officers present pointed out. "The most notable of them are the self proclaimed Admiral Rook, a man who is only known as The Ship-Wrecker and Riley R. Mary from the North Blue."

"This three could become a threat to the peace in the future", Smoker replied, "but for now they are only a minor problem in comparison to our others."

"They might or they might not", Aokiji said. "We will deal with it when the time comes."

xxxxxxx

_Somewhere at the entrance of the Grand Line_

The Thousand Sunny was lying unmoving in the Sea.

On board, the different members of the crew were discussing how to continue their way from this point on.

"That means we are right back at the start", Usopp commented.

"Yes", Nami said, "we are again at the start of the Grand Line. From here we can travel over the same places we did three years ago."

"That is boring", Luffy announced.

"Well", she pointed out, "we could take a different route this time, not the same as we have seen before."

"If you say so Nami´san", Sanji exclaimed in his usual love-sick posture, to that Zoro only shook his head in annoyance.

"But which route should we take?" Usopp asked.

"Well, three years ago Luffy´s rivals all took different courses through the first half of the Grand Line", Robin suggested, "maybe we could try one of those."

"Are they interesting?" their captain asked.

"Well, Law and the others were able to make them back then as we were all much weaker", Sanji pointed out.

"That means no", Luffy exclaimed. It had been completely clear for him that the old adventures of the other pirates of the so called "worst generation" would be absolutely no challenge for him anymore, but he didn´t let it be taken from himself to sound a bit disappointed.

"Boring", he said once again.

"I might have an idea", Frankie told them. "There is one part of the sea that is still as good as unexplored and it is actually pretty close to us. It should take us only a few days to reach this route. Quite a challenge should it be too, even for us."

"You mean the...?" Nami asked.

But before she could finish her question she was interrupted.

"Hey", Usopp shouted, "there are two ships ahead."

That distracted the attention of the crew to what was going on before them.

"Yes", Nami said as she was watching the scene through a looking-glass, "two ships, it seems one of them is a pirate ship and the other has been attacked. Luffy", she suddenly yelled.

"What?"

"The ship, that one what is being attacked, it is from Alabasta and, and it is wearing the royal flag."


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8  
**

The Thousand Sunny was closing up to the other two ships. On board the fighting was still going on and so the approaching Strawhat pirates continued to stay unnoticed for a little while.

As they came into boarding range however, they were quickly being discovered.

"Pirates", someone shouted.

Ironically it was one of the attackers on board of the alabastian ship and so a pirate himself.

They all recognized the flag of the Strawhats nearly instantly.

"It is the Pirate King", another one called out.

"Yes", a third replied.

Given that they were facing the most dangerous crew in the world, the attackers were remarkable calm. They showed visible signs of being nervous, but far away from the panic they should truly be in.

The soldiers from Alabasta showed a mixed reaction. Some of them who didn´t know about their country´s connection to Luffy and his crew were obviously afraid, others were glad to see them.

But that was nothing compared to the Strawhat Pirates themselves as they recognized the man standing in the middle of the deck.

"Hello old friends", he greeted them, "it is good to see you again."

"That is impossible", Nami shouted.

"Hey you, you are dead, aren´t you?" Luffy asked him.

"That can´t be, as we had seen this guy the last time he was flying with an bomb right into the sky of Alabasta", Sanji said confused.

"You are partly right", he replied. "I tried to bring the bomb as far away from you all as possible, but I didn´t die."

Pell the leader of the alabastian soldiers remembered the day that he had nearly sacrificed his life for his kingdom and his people.

"I was gaining height very quickly back then when I carried the bomb, but I still feared that I wouldn´t be fast enough. So I did the only thing I could think of, I threw it upwards with all my strength. As it exploded, I was in a great enough distance to survive.

Afterwards I spend weeks recovering from my injuries. As I finally returned I found out that the entire kingdom just like you thought I was dead."

"So, so you are really alive", Usopp stammered.

"Yes and Princess Vivi will be more than happy that you are back."

"That´s great bird-man." Luffy laughed.

"Hey we are still here", a member of the other pirate crew shouted at them. "You think we are scarred because you have claimed the title of Pirate King? forget it", the man, who they realized was the obvious leader of the attackers, exclaimed.

Their entire group had drawn their weapons and had gotten ready to fight, obviously not impressed by their famous opponents.

"Oh right", Luffy replied.

One moment later his arm stretched and his fist hit the enemy who was standing closest to him directly into the face. The man was out cold.

All around them the fight was now starting again and quickly the Strawhats were faced with an uncomfortable surprise.

A formless wave of something that was nothing else than pure power of will went out from Luffy, "Conquerors Haki" and caught the entire opposing crew.

But unlike then expected, only two of them passed out and fell down.

Their opponents quickly started a counter-attack and they were strong.

As soon as the first hits were exchanged the Strawhats realized one thing.

"They can use their haki", Zoro said.

"A crew from the entrance of the Grand Line?" Sanji questioned.

"Well, obviously they are able", his crew-mate replied, "they are just doing it right now."

Zoro was already involved in a sword-fight with two opponents at the same time.

Meanwhile Nami was attacked by a haki enhanced strike with a battle-axe that her stick was barely able to block. Moments later she used her weapon to break the light around her and become invisible.

Then she reappeared beside her opponent and threw lightning at him that shocked the man and caused him to fall unconscious on the deck.

At the same time Zoro had dealt with his two foes quite quickly, Sanji had just kicked an entire line of men overboard and Luffy had taken down most of the remaining opponents.

Despite the unusual strength of the group of pirates they had no chance against the Pirate King and his crew and after a short exchange they fled.

"Just let them go", Pell said to his soldiers and indirectly to the Strawhats. "We have to take care of our wounded and we have more important matters to deal with anyway."

"What are you doing here?" Luffy asked him.

"That is a long story", the warrior from Alabasta replied. "To make it short a few months ago our country had been attacked by a group of terrorists. By now we have found hints that the ones responsible are operating from a base in the Calm Belt."

xxxxxxx

Many miles away another ship was sailing on the same course as the Thousand Sunny.

Beside the band of pirates was another person on board, a young woman.

"Are you satisfied now? We have reached the Grand Line", the captain asked their single passenger, a passenger who he had rather never met..

"Not yet, we have not found them yet."

"You are insane", Captain Giere screamed, "he will probably kill us all."

He remembered how this single girl had defeated his entire crew. They had found her on a boat on the sea.

At first they were trying to rob her and he was considering to keep her around as his personal slave.

That was before she had beaten them all into a pulp, using some weird fighting techniques and powers he had never seen before.

Now they were all following her commands.

But actively hunting down the Pirate King and his crew, that was something he wouldn´t just get along with, no matter how intimidated he was.

It was only a short time ago that they came across the Strawhat pirates the last time and run away on sight. He still thought that had been a wise decision.

But as soon as a member of his crew had mentioned the incident, she had been forcing them to follow the course of the Thousand Sunny.

Now the girl only smiled at him.

"If you knew the slightest thing about the Pirate King, you would know that he never kills anybody, unless he has a really good reason. Well, let us see if we give him one when we meet him." Her smile only deepened.

Giere was fuming from anger now, but at the same time scared to his bones.

He would like nothing more now than to throw this woman overboard, but he knew he had no chance.

"Just who do you think you are?" he snarled at her.

"Oh yes, I had never introduced myself", the girl replied, sounding as if he was barely worth her time, "My name is Riley R. Mary, but you can just call me Mary R."

xxxxxxx

On board of the warship from Alabasta things had returned so far to normal, as normal as it could be with the Strawhats on board.

Close to the rear of the vessel Luffy was currently standing with a den-den-mushi in his hand, surrounded by most of his crew-members.

"Luffy?" they heard a voice over the line.

"Vivi", he yelled, "it is great to hear of you again."

"I am happy too. How are the others?"

"They are just here, I think they would also like to talk to you." He had now the for him typical grin in his face.


End file.
